Barb Dalton

Barbara Lea Dalton, daughter of the late Raymond and Annie Mason, was born January 25, 1952, in Seymour, Missouri, and departed this life July 12, 2025, in Springfield, Missouri, at 73 years of age.

Barb grew up and attended school in Seymour, Missouri, through her junior year. She moved to Peoria, Illinois, where she graduated from Limestone High School with the class of 1970. She moved back to Seymour where she met her soulmate, Tom Dalton. They were united in marriage, just two short weeks after meeting each other, on June 9, 1971, and started their wild journey together. Two children were born to this union: Trishisa and Cindy.

Tom and Barb worked as telephone contractors and traveled all over the United States together, including Texas, Nevada, Florida, New Mexico, Mississippi, and Kentucky. Through all of their wonderful travels and experiences, home was always her favorite place to return to. Barb’s main priority and joy in life was being a mom and raising her two daughters. She and Tom also raised beef cattle for much of their married life, and Barb ran the farm many times while Tom was out working on the road. Later in her career, she worked at Mansfield Lime and Stone Quarries for more than a decade before retiring in 2010. Tom and Barb maintained their love of farming and they continued to farm together throughout their retirement years.

Barb loved her family immensely and prioritized family get-togethers. She always prepared and hosted Sunday dinner. She also loved holidays, especially Christmas when she could showcase her baked goods and Christmas fudge for all to enjoy. She also prioritized going to her grandkid’s basketball games and all school activities that she could.

Barb’s hobbies include sewing, needlepointing, and crocheting. She also enjoyed gardening, canning her produce, tending to her roses, and listening to her “Golden Oldies” on her record player. Barb also had a special place in her heart for her cow, Nadine, that she raised from a baby. Those that knew Barb knew that she loved to talk and she spent many hours on the phone with her friends, AKA the Golden Girls. Her life truly revolved around her family and friends and that is reflected in everything that she did.

Barb was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond and Annie Mason, one sister, Patricia Hood, and one sister-in-law, May Dalton.

She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Tom Dalton, of Seymour, Missouri, two daughters, Trishisa Emerick and husband, Terry, of Seymour, Missouri, and Cindy Wilson and husband, Don, of Mansfield, Missouri, four grandchildren, Trenton Emerick and wife, Natalie, Tom Tom Emerick, Shaely Wilson, and Colton Wilson, one great-granddaughter, Ellie Emerick, one brother, Keith Mason and wife, Darlene, two sisters, Glenda Cantrell and Carol Miller, three sisters-in-law, Faye Nix and husband, Donnie, Kaye Ousley, and Joyce Walker, and many other extended family and friends who will miss her.